Build proof fast by shipping real projects, showing before-and-after results, and packaging them in a clean, scannable site.
You’re here to land work, not just list buzzwords. A strong collection of SEO work shows clear outcomes, real pages you touched, and the thinking behind each move. The plan below helps you assemble that proof in weeks, not months. You’ll learn what to include, how to tell the story, where to source projects, and how to present results so a hiring manager or client can say yes on the spot.
What Makes A Convincing SEO Body Of Work
Great portfolios share three traits. First, they show real change: visibility gains, traffic growth, and fixes that stick. Next, they reveal the method: quick notes on the problem, what you tried, and the outcome. Last, they’re easy to skim: short sections, clear labels, and screenshots that load fast on mobile.
Core Pieces You Should Include
Think like an editor. Every piece needs a hook, a short method, and proof. Mix audits, content wins, technical fixes, and link-earning work. Add variety across niches or page types so a reviewer sees range.
Portfolio Asset Types And What To Show
| Asset Type | What To Include | Proof To Show |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword Map | Topic clusters, page intent notes, internal link plan | Before/after sitemap, ranking lifts on target terms |
| Content Win | Brief outline, draft excerpt, on-page tweaks | Clicks, CTR, positions from Search Console |
| Technical Fix | Issue summary, steps taken, tools used | Crawl stats, index counts, Core Web Vitals trend |
| Internal Linking | Anchor plan, hub pages, link blocks | Impressions lift for target pages |
| Schema Markup | JSON-LD snippet, placement note | Rich result appearance, CTR uptick |
| Local SEO | Profile cleanup, category choice, photos | Map pack presence, call clicks |
| Digital PR | Pitch angle, assets, outreach sample | Referring domains, brand mentions |
| Migration | Redirect map, test plan, launch notes | Stable traffic, minimal loss in key pages |
Fast Ways To Get Real Projects
You don’t need big brands to prove skill. Pick targets you can ship within days. Three solid options:
Revamp A Friend’s Site
Offer a tidy scope: fix titles, shore up internal links, add a helpful page, and set up tracking. Keep your promise light and deliver real change.
Clone And Improve A Page On Your Own Domain
Find a page style you admire, then build a better version with stronger structure and clearer answers. Track impressions and clicks. Show learnings, not just the win.
Tackle A Publicly Shared Dataset Or List
Publish a resource that fills a gap in a niche you like. Tight formatting and clean markup can rank fast when demand is clear.
Building Your SEO Portfolio Step-By-Step
This path gets you from zero to a polished set in twelve weeks. Keep the cadence tight, ship each week, and document as you go.
Weeks 1–2: Set The Base
Launch a simple site on a fast theme. Create an About page, a Projects hub, and a Contact page. Add a short note on your process, your tools, and the types of sites you enjoy. Verify the property in Search Console so you can pull clean charts later. When you cite rules or methods, link to source material people trust, such as Search Essentials.
Weeks 3–4: Ship Two Quick Wins
Pick one content page and one technical cleanup. Keep the scope tight so you can show a result graph within a few weeks. Use short, honest notes: what you changed, why you chose it, and what you expect to see. When you talk about writing style, point readers to Google’s guidance on people-first content to signal your approach is grounded in solid practice.
Weeks 5–6: Add Depth
Create one hub page with internal links to three related pages. Tighten anchors, trim overlapping targets, and add clear next steps at the end of each page. Mark up the hub with JSON-LD where it fits your site type and test with the Rich Results Test.
Weeks 7–8: Earn Mentions
Publish a small asset others want to cite: a clean checklist, a free mini tool, or a quick study with reproducible steps. Pitch five niche sites with a short angle. Keep the ask helpful and short. Add any wins to a “Press & Mentions” strip on your hub page.
Weeks 9–10: Migrations And Fixes
Show you can handle risk. Migrate a small section or move a test site to a new structure. Create a redirect map, test in staging, and launch on a low-traffic window. Track what changed and how you handled snags.
Weeks 11–12: Polish And Publish
Refine screenshots, capture charts, trim text, and add captions. Check load speed on phone. Add alt text to images. Make sure every project page loads cleanly and links back to the hub.
How To Present Each Project
Your project template should be short and repeatable. Keep it to five blocks. Recruiters and clients will thank you for the clarity.
1) Snapshot
One line on the site type and goal, plus a small badge noting the site size or niche. This frames what comes next without fluff.
2) Problem
State the bottleneck with plain terms: thin intent match, crawl waste, weak internal links, or slow pages. One or two lines is enough.
3) What You Shipped
Bulleted steps. Keep each line action-first: “Mapped terms to pages,” “Rewrote titles,” “Fixed canonical tags,” “Added FAQ section with real queries,” “Set up daily error alerts.”
4) Outcome
Show a chart with the date range and callouts. Prefer Search Console for impressions, clicks, and positions. Show two or three tracked terms to prove relevance. Add a line on what did not move; reviewers trust honest notes.
5) Takeaways
Short, practical lessons. One line per lesson. Skip filler. Keep the tone calm and direct.
Proof That Lands With Decision Makers
Numbers matter, but context seals the deal. Tie gains to a change you made and show the time lag between the change and the lift. When a page drops, say what you tried next. This shows judgment, not luck.
How To Source Data And Visuals
Use native charts from Search Console for consistency, then add brief labels so a quick glance tells the story. Keep axes readable and dates clear. Avoid dense dashboards that slow the page. Save images in web-friendly formats and compress them before upload.
Ethics And Boundaries
Skip tactics that risk a site’s standing. No hidden links, spun text, doorway pages, or borrowed content. If a site you worked on used any of that before you joined, say you removed it and show the clean replacement. It signals good judgment and care for long-term outcomes.
Where To Host And How To Structure
Use your own domain. A simple structure keeps crawl paths clean: /projects as the hub, then one folder per project with a short slug. Add an index page with cards that show title, niche, and the top metric change. Keep the nav lean so visitors land on the proof fast.
Content Pieces That Win Fast
Quick wins come from pages that answer a need without fluff. Good options: comparison pages with clear tables, setup guides with screenshots, and small tools with copy-and-paste outputs. Pair each page with a short email pitch to niche sites that accept tips or resources. One or two placements can move the needle on early projects.
Tracking And Reporting Habits
Make weekly notes on what changed and why. Capture small learnings even if a page stalls. Over time, these logs become source material for a tidy case page and help you avoid rewriting the same tests. Pull a monthly roll-up with a three-line summary, a chart, and next steps.
Ninety-Day Build Plan You Can Copy
| Week Range | Main Tasks | Output |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Site setup, baseline crawl, Search Console | Live hub, clean logs, verified property |
| 3–4 | One content page, one tech fix | Two project pages with notes |
| 5–6 | Build hub and three spokes | Cluster live with internal links |
| 7–8 | Ship link-worthy asset and pitches | At least one mention, one new ref domain |
| 9–10 | Small migration or restructure | Redirect map, stable traffic line |
| 11–12 | Polish, compress images, mobile checks | Final screenshots, alt text, tidy nav |
How To Weave In Schema Without Bloat
Mark up pages that benefit from rich results: how-to steps, products, articles, or local business info. Use JSON-LD, keep fields honest, and test before launch. If you want baseline rules from the source, see the intro to structured data and the general guidelines.
Presenting Results Without Overclaiming
Tie outcomes to a time window and a specific change. Use callouts like “Titles rewritten here” or “Internal links added here” on your charts. If a page grew due to seasonality, say so. If a drop followed a release, show what you rolled back or changed. Plain talk builds trust faster than hype.
Packaging Your Site For Quick Skims
Your home page should tell the story in ten seconds: a line on who you help, three badges of common page types you’ve improved, and a grid of recent work. Each card should reveal the metric that moved, the niche, and a short link to the write-up.
What To Put On Your About Page
Say what you like working on, list your tools, and show a photo that looks professional. Add a short note on how you pick tests and how you report back to stakeholders. Keep it short and friendly.
Social Proof That Doesn’t Feel Forced
Collect two short quotes from people who saw your work. Ask them to mention a page, a task, or a quick win. Place these near the bottom of your home page and at the end of your two best projects.
Common Mistakes That Cost You Calls
Bloated Dashboards
Heavy embeds slow load times and distract from the proof. Export a clear PNG instead and write one line that explains the trend.
Vague Claims
“Helped traffic” means little. “Raised clicks on /compare-tool by 28% in six weeks after title rewrite and link blocks” tells a story.
Copied Tactics
Listing tricks without context reads like a checklist. Explain why a move fit that site at that time. That shows judgment.
Where To Send Reviewers
Give a single link that lands on your Projects hub. From there, show filters by site type, skill, and metric moved. Keep contact details in the header so a reviewer can reach out without hunting.
How To Keep It Fresh
Once a month, add one new item or refresh a chart with a short note on what changed. Rotate older work off the hub if it no longer shows your current level. A tidy set beats a long list every time.
Simple Checklist Before You Hit Publish
Clarity
Every project page starts with a one-line snapshot, a short problem line, a clean list of actions, and a result chart.
Proof
Screenshots are sharp, labels are legible, and dates are visible. Links work on mobile, and images have alt text.
Compliance
No spammy tactics. No hidden text. No thin pages. If you cite rules, link to stable sources, such as the SEO starter guide or the Search Console performance report.
Pitching Your Work Without Being Pushy
Send short notes to hiring managers or founders with one link and a one-line angle that relates to their site. Offer a tiny audit or a quick outline for a single page. Keep the ask clear and light. The goal is a call, not a debate.
Final Nudge To Get Your First Yes
Ship one small project this week, write it up, and add it to your hub. Repeat next week with a different skill. In a month you’ll have a tidy set that shows range, method, and results. That’s what turns browsers into leads.